Method, assistance system and 3d-printer for computer-aided design of objects for additive manufacturing

Abstract

According to the invention, design data (ED) are input for an object (OBJ) to be additively manufactured and to be optimised in terms of a physical optimisation target. A volumetric model (VM) of theobject is initialised with a material distribution (D) according to the design data (ED), said volumetric model having a plurality of volume elements (VE). A respective local target property (GRD) relating to the optimisation target is then determined for volume elements (VE) of the volumetric model (VM), based on the material distribution (D). According to the invention, each volume element (VE)is checked to determine whether said volume element is supported in terms of additive manufacturing. Based on this, the target property (GRD) of this volume element (VE) is modified in such a way thatit approaches the target property (GRD) if it is supported and / or moves away from the optimisation target if it is not supported. Based on the modified target properties (GRDMOD), the material distribution (D) is modified in such a way that the modified material distribution (DMOD) approaches the optimisation target. The modified material distribution (DMOD) is then output for the additive manufacturing of the object (OBJ).

Description

Background technique [0001] Additive manufacturing is gaining in importance in popular production processes. Additive manufacturing allows products with almost arbitrarily complex contours and topologies to be produced with relatively little effort. Compared with classical manufacturing methods, only fewer structural constraints need to be observed in additive manufacturing. However, as an important constraint, it should be noted in additive manufacturing that the more overhanging faces and edges generally require support structures during printing, since otherwise they would first of all be in contact with the object to be produced in a layered structure. Other parts are not connected or are in a connection that is too weak. Such support structures have to be mounted structurally on the overhanging surface of the object before printing and removed again after printing, which usually entails considerable additional effort. [0002] Known assistance systems for designing obj...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Such support structures have to be mounted structurally on the overhanging faces of the object before printing and removed again after printing, which usually entails considerable additional effort

[0002] Known assistance systems for designing objects to be produced usually support the designer in making full use of the rich forms available for additive manufacturing, but usually do not automatically include the constraints specific to additive manufacturing, especially structural ones. Restrictions

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